Process of making and consuming gas



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. W'ILLSON, OF NE YORK, IT. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE ELEOTRO GASCOMPANY, OF IVEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF MAKING AND CONSUMING GAS.

S?ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,198, dated February25, 1896.

Application filed July 9, 1891!:- Serial No. 517,008. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. VILLSON, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Process for the Production andConsumption of Hydrocarbon Gas, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to the production of and the subsequent burningof acetylene gas so as to produce a flame of high luminosity when thesame is previously mingled with air. This is done by allowing theacetylene gas to escape from a suitable pressure and through a suitableburner to the atmosphere where in its process of combustion it gives,mingled with air before such combustion, a flame of extraordinaryluminosity.

The gas which I propose to use is not in and of itself my discovery,being that hydroe carbon compound having the formula H and known asacetylene My discovery consists in the fact that this gas can bepractically, successfully, and economically generated from a metalliccompound with carbon-as, for instance, calcium carbideand when sogenerated and burned under proper conditions becomes a valuable andimportant substitute for the present gases used forilluminatingpurposes. I have discovered, therefore, a valuablecommercial use 'for a hitherto valueless gas. I have discovered thatthat gas when properly burned possesses extraordinary illuminatingpower, and that said gas, if transmitted through mains, possesses anadvantage over practically-used illuminating-gases, in that it is anabsolutely-fixed gas, not being, as are practically all otherilluminating-gases, a vehicle carrying hyrdrocarbon vapors more or lessfixed in suspension and therefore certain to deposit said hydrocarbon inliquid form in its progress through the mains. Hence it follows thatsuch mains must be provided with siderably less illuminating powerwhenthe same is measured at a considerable distance from said works;also, it follows that in the use of that class of gases any considerablepressure in the mains is impossible, because such pressure causes astill more rapid deposition of the physically-carried hydrocarbon andconsequent impoverishment of the gas. It has, therefore, always beenimpossible to practically distribute illuminating 1 gas in small mainsunder high pressure by reducing the pressure at the point ofconsumption, which would be manifestly a great advantage if it could bepractically done. The gas which I propose to use for this purpose is, onthe contrary, an absolutely fixed definite chemical compound, notcarrying free hydrocarbon and impossible of separation into itsconstituent elements, excepting by heat or chemical action; also, I havediscovered that this gas in open burners is capable of greatsubdivision, while at the same time giving greatly-increased results inillumination over any present practically-distributed gas. I believethat no gas is practically distributed which, burning in an ordinaryfive foot burner, produces over thirty five candle power on aphotometer.

In an open burner burning but one foot of the gas this gas will producean illumination approximating fifty-candle power, whereas in a similarburner ordinary illuminating-gas gives practically no valuableillumination whatever. This discovery enables me to accomplish the sameresults accomplished in the subdivision of the electric light,subdividing for the same consumption of gas my light into many more fociof illumination, and thereby securing equality and uniformity ofillumination through considerable spaces rather than concentrating suchillumination in a much smaller number of foci.

I am aware of the fact that the body which I use to produce theacetylene gas-namely, calcium carbide-has been known as a chemicalcuriosity, and it has been known that this body had the power todecompose water by reason of the greater affinity of the calcium for theoxygen of the water than for the carbon of its own structure. Thiscalcium carbide, however, was entirely unknown for any commercialpurposes whatever, and was strictly a chemical curiosity until Isucceeded in producing it electrically in large quantities, therebyenabling me to study the composition and action of the gas resultingtherefrom, and to determine for the first time its qualities and theconditions under which it could be practically used.

In order to construct and operate a practical gas-plant under myinvention no material but water in addition to the calcium carbide Apractical operative gas-plant is requisite. requires, therefore, only agenerating retort or chamber, anda suitable receptacle or gasholder forreceiving the generated gas. As no heat is required, skilled labor isentirely unnecessary in the production of this gas, and if desired it isproduceable in every separate house or place of consumption.

Practically, I employ a retort or receptacle capable of containing asufficient amountof the metallic .carbide, preferably calcium carbide,employed, and of the converting-water. I have discovered that under theconditions of the mingling of water and calcium carbide the gas isproduced under such pressure as that no further pumping into the holderor receptacle is required, as is ordinarily the case. I mingle the gasso produced in said holder or otherwise with a suitable proportion ofairsay from forty to fifty per cent..before leading it to the burner. Inthis way smoke and clogging of the burner are diminished. lVhen thismixture is burned in an ordinary burner approximately fifty-candle powerof illumination may be expected for each foot of acetylene burned perhour. These proportions may be varied.

In order to carry out my process practically, I take, approximately, foreach five feet of the gas desired to be produced one pound of calciumcarbide. This I mingle with water in a closed vessel communicating withan ordinary gas-holder having the usual pressure, say, of two inches.This pressure may be somewhat varied-as, for instance, from one inch tothree or m0rebut the ordinary pressure of such gas-holders is proper forthe combustion of such acetylene gas in a smokeless fiame in a suitableone-foot burner. As the generation of gas is rapid, it is important tohave the outlet of sufficient area, as on ac count of the pressure ofthe gas so generated an explosion might otherwise occur. The said gasmaybe allowed to pass into the holder until the same is approximatelyhalf-full, when the holder being raised in any suitable way so as toextend it to its full capacity, while at the same time anair-inlet isopened, a mixture is made of one-half acetylene gas and one-half air,or, if desired, the holder may be preliminarily one-half filled with airand then completely filled with the gas. After an experiment the amountof calcium carbide required can be readily determined by weight, so thatmeasurement is no longer required of the resulting gas. Of course,proportionate additions to the amount contained in the holder arereadily made in a similar manner.

It is obvious that though I have spoken of the addition of atmosphericair to the acetylene gas to aid in its combustion, other gases aiding insuch combustion could also be added. It is also possible to supply oradd the oxygen or air required at the burner. I prefer, however, theprocess hereinbefore described as insuring a determined and fixedrelation of the air to the gas. The gas in said holder is ordinarilyburned therefrom in the obvious that the pressure in such receptacle.

or holder may be produced by the expansion of the gas directly or in anyother suitable way. I

I do not in this application claim the process of burning acetylene gaswithout the admixture of air, said process having been applied for by meon the 13th day of January, 1896, Serial No. 575,370, which is adivision of this application.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to .secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of producing an illuminating-flame of high luminosity,which consists in combining water and calcium carbide, thereby producingacetylene, in collecting the resulting acetylene, in mingling the samewith a suitable quantity of oxygen or air, andfinally burning the sameunder pressure in a suitable burner, thereby producing anilluminating-fiame, substantially as described.

2. As a new composition of matter, useful for purposes of combustion,acetylene gas, nitrogen and oxygen mingled together in substantially theproportions stated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS L. WILLSON. Witnesses:

7115A. PoLLocx, H. OOUTANT.

